I said: "Move up." I sat down on the chair beside her and took her hand. She laid her face against mine.
She murmured: "Tell me the truth, Michael. I'm for you. I'll play if you'll let me. But I'm certain you've been up to something, that you're in some sort of a jam and that you've been using me as a stooge. Well... I don't mind. Not so long as I know what it's all about. But I've got to know."
I thought there was only one thing to do about it. At the moment I certainly could not afford to take a chance on Bettina starting something; going to the police and generally putting the tin lid on everything. I thought that the Old Man would be goddamned pleased if he knew the way things were shaping. Any sort of publicity and he would tear me wide open.
I said: "Listen, Bettina. Maybe there's
